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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · bass · ball · current · cue · lie · scale · drill

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. scale — size or range
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — in music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. current — of water
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ball — a great time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — electric
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bass — low music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. current — happening now
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com